There are known systems for the top loading of several items into product containers or receptacles. Some of these systems employ conveyors, where products to be loaded are transferred from a product conveyor into containers carried by a container conveyor. While in some systems, products can be transferred laterally from a product conveyor into a container carried by a container conveyor, for many products and product containers it is desirable or necessary to instead top load the products into the containers.
While there are known systems and methods for top loading products, including multiple products, into a series of containers/receptacles, they suffer from drawbacks.
One particular application that is problematic is the loading a plurality of blister packaged items into receptacles. Some blister packs have a lower edge portion that must be received into a corresponding transverse slot in the receptacle. The receptacles can be configured to provide a display stand that a retailer can use to display the items for sale in a store or the like.
In view of the foregoing an improved method and system for top loading of items into holding devices is desired.